Director, Field Engineering (AI/ML)

webAI; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and performance-based incentives

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits package

Equity options

401k Match

$200/mos Health and Wellness Stipend

Continuing Education Support

$500/year Function Health subscription

Free parking for in-office employees

Flexible Time Off

Parental Leave for Eligible Employees

Supplemental Life Insurance

Job summary

webAI in Austin, Texas is seeking a strategic leader for the Forward Deployed Engineering team. The successful candidate will have over 10 years of experience in software engineering, with at least 5 years in leadership. This role requires collaboration with clients to deploy and integrate AI solutions. Strong technical background in applied AI, cloud infrastructure, and project management is essential. The position offers competitive benefits and a commitment to core values of truth, ownership, tenacity, and humility.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering or deployment roles, at least 5 years in leadership.
• Proven experience in leading engineering teams in client-facing environments.
• Strong technical background in applied AI, cloud infrastructure, and data platforms.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Forward Deployed Engineering team.
• Oversee project scoping, deployment, and customization.
• Act as a technical advisor to clients and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership in engineering roles

Technical consulting

Applied AI engineering

Cloud infrastructure

Project management

Job description

About Us

webAI is pioneering the future of artificial intelligence by establishing the first distributed AI infrastructure dedicated to personalized AI. We recognize the evolving demands of a data‑driven society for scalability and flexibility, and we firmly believe that the future of AI lies in distributed processing at the edge, bringing computation closer to the source of data generation. Our mission is to build a future where a company's valuable data and intellectual property remain entirely private, enabling the deployment of large‑scale AI models directly on standard consumer hardware without compromising the information embedded within those models. We are developing an end‑to‑end platform that is secure, scalable, and fully under the control of our users, empowering enterprises with AI that understands their unique business. We are a team driven by truth, ownership, tenacity, and humility, and we seek individuals who resonate with these core values and are passionate about shaping the next generation of AI.

About the Role

This person will lead a highly skilled team of engineers who work directly with our most strategic customers to deploy, configure and integrate our technology into complex environments. Sitting at the intersection of engineering, product and customer success, you’ll play a critical role in bridging the gap between what we build and how it’s delivered. You’ll shape deployment strategy, drive technical excellence, and ensure we consistently deliver high‑impact solutions that meet real‑world customer needs. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who thrives in dynamic, customer‑facing environments and is passionate about scaling both people and processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE) team, ensuring effective collaboration between engineering and client‑facing functions.
• Oversee project scoping, deployment, and customization of core technology at customer sites or in virtual deployments.
• Act as a technical advisor to both clients and internal stakeholders, ensuring solutions meet client requirements and align with product capabilities.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with Product, Engineering, Sales, and Customer Success to deliver successful outcomes.
• Hire, mentor, and grow a high‑performing FDE team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and technical excellence.
• Define and track KPIs for deployed projects, ensuring timely delivery and client satisfaction.
• Drive continuous improvement in deployment processes, tools, and methodologies.
• Manage relationships with key clients during the deployment phase, serving as an escalation point for technical challenges.

Requirements & Skills

• 10+ years of experience in software engineering, technical consulting or deployment roles, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity.
• Proven experience leading engineering or deployment teams in client‑facing environments.
• Strong technical background in areas like applied AI engineering, cloud infrastructure, APIs, data platforms, etc.
• Excellent project management and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Strong problem‑solving, communication and stakeholder management abilities.

We at webAI are committed to living out the core values we have put in place as the foundation on which we operate as a team. We seek individuals who exemplify the following:

• Truth - Emphasizing transparency and honesty in every interaction and decision.
• Ownership - Taking full responsibility for one’s actions and decisions, demonstrating commitment to the success of our clients.
• Tenacity - Persisting in the face of challenges and setbacks, continually striving for excellence and improvement.
• Humility - Maintaining a respectful and learning‑oriented mindset, acknowledging the strengths and contributions of others.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance‑based incentives.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits package.
• Equity options
• 401k Match (US‑based only)
• $200/mos Health and Wellness Stipend
• Continuing Education Support
• $500/year Function Health subscription (US‑based only)
• Free parking, for in‑office employees
• Flexible Time Off
• Parental Leave for Eligible Employees
• Supplemental Life Insurance

webAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We adhere to these principles in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, promotion, benefits, social and recreational programs, and discipline. In addition, it is the policy of webAI to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees who have protected disabilities to the extent required by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances where a particular employee works.